The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) was established in 1976 to serve immigrants and refugees in Portland, Oregon. IRCO's mission is to promote the integration of refugees, immigrants, and the community at large into a self-sufficient, healthy, and inclusive multiethnic society. Through its five primary locations - IRCO Main, Africa House/Skill Center, Asian Family Center, Senior Services Center, and the International Language Bank - the organization provides programs and services.
These services are related to training and employment, health and aging, English language learning, naturalization and social adjustment, community development, early childhood, parenting and youth development, education and interpretation and translation.
Key Figures and Their Contributions
IRCO's success is largely attributed to the dedication and vision of individuals who have committed their lives to serving the immigrant and refugee community. Here are some of the key figures and their contributions:
- Sivai Bennett: Currently, she is a teacher at Harold Oliver Elementary in Portland. She also serves as a volunteer advisory board member of IRCO's Asian Family Center where her role is to advise the directors, help fundraise, and connect IRCO to her community.
- Ronault "Polo" Catalani: He partnered with mutual assistance associations and the government in order to establish IRCO in 1986. Currently he serves as a board member for both the Asian Family Center (AFC) and IRCO.
- Lee Po Cha: He began working for IRCO in 1981 and helped to establish the Asian Family Center in 1994.
- Hongsa Chanthavong: He began his career at IRCO in 1984 as a business specialist with the Economic Development Project. Then he set up the Asian Family Center, becoming the center coordinator in 1994.
- Sophorn Cheang First getting involved with the Asian Family Center in 2010, Cheang joined the advisory board in early 2011; she then became the chair of the advisory board until she quit that position to pursue the operating side of the non-profit organization.
- Danita Huynh: Huynh has been affiliated with the Asian Family Center for 17 years; starting out as a parent educator in 1997, she was then promoted to the lead parent educator position, then to coordinator, then to her current position as manager of AFC's Children Programing.
- Thuy Le: While attending college, Le began to volunteer at the Asian Family Center in 2004. In 2011 she began a half time position as a Vietnamese Family Engagement Specialist within the Youth Department, later becoming full time with the Anti-Poverty Department.
- Simeon D. Mamaril: Since his arrival in Portland, aside from his regular employment in various firms, Mamaril has been involved in various local and national, social and civic, both private and public organizations in various capacities.
- Linda Nguyen: In 2006, Nguyen began working for the Asian Family Center as an Energy Assistant with the Anti-Poverty Program and has been in the position since that time.
- Connie Kim Yen Nguyen-Truong: Not only did she worked with IRCO in the Vietnamese Women's Health Project (parts one, two, and three) and its community advisory board, but she also became a board member for AFC during her post-doc and a fellow of the Asian Pacific Islander Community Leadership Institute's cohort one.
- Lyn Tan: Upon this return to Portland, she studied at Portland State University and eventually started as a SUN site manager for a middle school.
The Asian Family Center (AFC)
The AFC was established in 1994 and provides multilingual/multicultural, community-based services such as early childhood development services, parent education and support, youth services, anti-poverty assistance and health education programs.
Specific Projects:
- SUN schools program
- Vietnamese Women's Health Project
- Coalition of Communities of Color project and report
- Golden Leaf Education Foundation
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